Speedy Refining, Slow Understanding

Jo Yuan stood alone in the forest just outside the MoonShadow Sect, his breath slow and steady as he focused on his technique. The moon hung low in the sky, casting pale light through the trees. In the shadows, his spiritual blood root stirred within him, a hunger deep in his veins. He glanced around cautiously before letting the bloodline (blood spiritual root) ability awaken.

He reached out with his hand, touching a wild boar that he had caught. The process began, subtle and eerie. The boar's blood left its body, drawn by an invisible force, flowing into Jo Yuan's fingertips. As the blood entered his body, it transformed into qi, flowing through his meridians. His Silver Moon Breath technique worked in sync with his bloodline, refining the energy from the blood as it coursed through him. The qi moved like a crimson mist inside him, spiraling toward his dantian where it pooled, filling him rapidly.

The sensation was strange yet satisfying. His chosen technique, meant to absorb moonlight, had merged with his bloodline, allowing him to refine qi from blood instead. The glow of qi pulsed along his veins, faint and red, as if his body was absorbing the very essence of life from the creatures around him. It only took two days for him to fill his dantian, a feat that should have taken months. He knew it was dangerous, but the speed was intoxicating.

However, Jo Yuan didn't stop with animals. Some probation disciples, who wandered alone in the forest or on late-night errands, fell prey to his hunger. He did not kill them, of course. He only took small amounts of their blood, just enough to not draw suspicion. Each time, he cleaned his traces carefully, using his Silver Moon Breath to mask any signs of tampering with their qi. The blood left no obvious mark, and the disciples, too confused to know what had happened, simply felt drained.

Jo Yuan had learned to cover his tracks well. After each feeding, he used his technique to erase any remnants of his bloodline's influence. He worked slowly, carefully, ensuring no one noticed the faint marks left by the bites. When asked why some disciples were feeling weak, he simply shrugged, suggesting they might have overworked themselves. His calm demeanor, paired with his rapid accumulation of qi, made his fellow disciples believe he was progressing well without any suspicion.

Now, standing with a full dantian, Jo Yuan expected to feel the breakthrough at any moment. Yet nothing happened. The qi flowed freely inside him, but the breakthrough eluded him. The elder's words echoed in his mind—understanding was key.

Weeks passed, and while other disciples struggled with their qi accumulation, Jo Yuan felt stuck. Shen and Wu, his closest friends, had begun to grasp the essence of their techniques. Though they hadn't broken through yet, their understanding was growing. Their progress, while slow, was clear. But Jo Yuan? He had a full dantian, more qi than most, but no sense of the breakthrough. It was as if his comprehension was blocked.

One evening, after two months of frustration, Jo Yuan sat by the training grounds, his hands clenched into fists. Shen and Wu approached, sensing his mood.

"I don't get it," Jo Yuan muttered, his voice low. "My dantian is full. I should have broken through by now, but it's like… like something's missing."

Shen sat beside him, his expression thoughtful. "Maybe it's not about how much qi you have," he suggested. "The elder did say it's about understanding. Maybe you're focusing too much on filling your dantian and not enough on what the technique really is."

"But how can I understand it when everything feels so vague?" Jo Yuan's frustration grew. He had followed the Silver Moon Breath technique perfectly, he thought. But the moon's energy, its connection to his bloodline—it all felt distant. "It's like I'm missing something obvious. I see you both understanding your techniques, but I can't grasp mine. Is my comprehension really that poor?"

Wu shook her head gently. "It's not that, Jo. Sometimes it just takes time. We all understand things differently. Maybe you're trying too hard to force it."

Jo Yuan sighed, his fingers digging into the earth beneath him. "It doesn't feel fair. I've filled my dantian faster than anyone, but it means nothing. You both are getting closer to understanding the essence of your techniques, and I'm just… stuck."

Wu placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll get there. You're trying to control everything too tightly. Let the technique guide you for once. The moon isn't just about light; it's about the balance between dark and light, calm and storm. Maybe you need to let go of that control."

Shen nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sometimes you're too focused on what you think should happen. Maybe the Silver Moon Breath isn't about force. It's about letting the qi flow naturally. You're fast at refining qi, Jo, but rushing isn't always the answer."

Their words calmed Jo Yuan a little, but doubt still lingered in his mind. He had used his bloodline to speed up his progress, but maybe that had also blinded him to the real essence of the technique and made him more impatient?